Brighton Fringe Review: NAMASTE BLISTERS, Half A Camel - The Joker

“The Y-Factor!”

As someone who used to be obsessed with yoga, I knew that I wanted to see Namaste Blisters, a comedy show written and performed by Kym Nelson, a former yoga teacher, that promises to reveal the “stereotypes, secrets and absurdity of the yoga industry.” The show begins with Nelson already in character as a yoga “influencer” with a blonde wig and a large pink headband, welcoming everyone to her class. 

The show has an interesting format, with Nelson telling her own life story in between introducing the audience to different characters that have been inspired by those she has encountered in the world of yoga, including some of her own friends! One of these characters is labelled as a “yoga terrorist,” someone who is insistent that their way of doing yoga is the only way and that everyone else in the world is wrong. The world of yoga is a competition that they plan on winning - quite ironic given the general purpose of yoga. Another is a meditation teacher who has some interesting ways of meditating that she wants to share with the class.

After being introduced to all of these different characters, Nelson begins to talk about how yoga may become an official sport in the Olympics if India hosts the games in the future. She is fascinated by the concept, wondering how it will be judged and what some of the contestants may be like, leading to her own yoga competition show - “The Y-Factor.” Audience members get a preview of what Nelson would imagine the show to be like, featuring the characters we have seen over the past hour in a competitive situation. 

In a strange way, the show feels like it is just going to be on the edge of audience participation but shies away from it, with Nelson only asking a few questions to an audience who is unsure of whether they want to take part or not. When the audience does want to talk about their yoga experiences, it feels as though the show is paused, with Nelson simply having a conversation with the audience member and then moving onto the next story or character. I would have liked to see a little bit of actual yoga incorporated into the show, especially during “The Y-Factor,” as it could have added some physical comedy to the performance as a whole. 

Ultimately, Namaste Blisters is a silly show with a great concept that could truly become fantastic with some more work on the characters and a stronger plot. I would love to see more about “The Y-Factor” and the different characters who are competing to win it - maybe a show focused on that? Regardless, Nelson is a great and relatable storyteller and I can’t wait to see what she does next - whether it’s yoga, comedy or a mix of both.

Namaste Blisters ran between 31 May - 1 June at the Brighton Fringe Festival.